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Review: Club Glow powerhouse and all-round Bristol bass-bin baiting badman Borai returns to his Higher Level label with three new drops of elevated breakbeat science. As well as his work alongside Denham Audio, L Major and Mani Festo in Club Glow, Borai has been busy landing uptempo slammers on Hardcore Energy, Vivid, E-Beamz and Infiltrate in the past couple of years, and he returns to home turf in peak shape.


The A-side lights up with the dizzying break-juggling ruffness of 'Lights On', a surefire call to squeeze the last juice from the party, while 'Bobbi' opens the B side treading an artful line between deep and depraved as immersive tones face off against taut, driving rhythms. 'Sargasso Sea' smooths the proceedings out good and proper in true B2 style with a pitched-down slice of soul-charged broken beat that smacks where it counts, Borai's established instinct for forward-facing melody shining through in the interplay between 90s keys, diva vocal samples and illustrious pads.

Review: Eight years after their ground-breaking "Resolution 653" full length, pioneering duo Instra:mental make a welcome return with their new album Timelines, and this first selection of tunes from it gives you a good idea why. "Pacific Heights" is a jumble of minimal drum beats and futuristic synth smears that is atmospheric, while "Sakura" is more sparse and zoned out thanks to forlorn chords which speak of romantic pain. Things slow down into deep rubbery rhythms on the lush "Photograph" while "End Credits" has an unexpected Balearic vibe to it, with breezy chords making for a mood that feels akin to gazing out to sea.

Review: Since signing to Hospital last year Krakota has delivered a progressively on-point stream of rollers and bubblers. Hot on the heels of "Ice Hands" and "Ghosts" comes the Bournemouth artist's first fully fledged EP and it's something of a vibe marathon: "In The Area" soothes with soft harmonic basses in a similar way to early Netsky or perhaps Nu:Logic material, "Citadels" is a floaty, cosmic meander through the jungle milky way. Looking for Krakota's harder side? Look no further than "Crash Pads"; all Experience-era detuned synths and swashbuckling amens, it's undiluted rave juice. Finally "Lazy Bones" brings us back to earth with a piano-shaped cushion... Before packing us off to sub boot camp with some very devious but subtle bass dynamics. Krakota's best release to date, without question.

Review: Keppel was last on this label with a contribution to a various artist collection but now steps up with a full solo EP of his own. His unique take on techno is exhibited from the off on 'Stanley Knife' with its scurrying synths, drunken synth loops and drums that go nowhere fast but still draw you in. '194' is awash with kinetic synth sequences and distant dub chords that bring colour and 'Life Takes Rise' rides on another inventive and alluring rhythm pattern while the warming synth work gets you lost in thought. Closer 'Diesel', meanwhile, is tough, frosty, and more techno-leaning.

Review: Random Rap Records offshoot Dinked 45 has hit gold with 'Happy (Hammond)', the first single in seven years from Chris Read and keyboardist Rob Barron's occasional So Much Soul Players project. As the title suggests, it's a cheeky and cheery Hammond funk reinvention of Pharrell Williams' classic which features Barron playing the famous melody - alongside a few wild solos - atop a sweaty, bass-heavy, breakbeat-driven dancefloor groove. It's a simple idea brilliantly executed all told and a guaranteed party-starter to boot. Over on the flip you'll find a slightly tougher, shorter 'Instrimental Mix' that cuts down the use of the melody in favour of elongated Hammond chords and more prominent beats, as well as a short 'Bonus Beats' drum track for DJs who like to get busy in the mix.

Review: Community minded eclecticists Neighbourhood continue their unifying work with the latest boundary-bender from label co-boss Birke TM. With each cut sitting in a different tempo territory, he paints a vivid picture. 'I Dream Of Jeannie' is a mid-paced 160 jungle breeze while 'Eden' is a classic atmospheric two-stepper that wouldn't have gone amiss on GLR back in the day. Flip for a tempo dip as both cuts on the B smoulder with slow beauty. 'Sanctuary' hits like a cosmic UR escapade while 'Never Lose Touch' bids us an emotional and heartfelt 150BPM farewell. Visionary.

Review: Binga and Redders join forces once again for a unique hybrid of digi-dub, dancehall and D&B. "Tek Nah Chat" is spacey, gritty and primed for the dance as both characters' unique styles complement each other with physical rawness that no other producer/MC combo can boast (with, perhaps, the exception of Phizzy and Strategy) Further on we get all tripped out by the bending toplines and woozy synths of "Elastic", we get pranged out by the late night future grime "Steppin" and get thrusted back to the oldest of schools with the rampant jungle homage "Chasic". Not a dull moment, Binga is in a league of his own right now.

Review: Good For You Records labelled Kenny Summit is back on his own label. The veteran of 30 plus years is in fine form with this single, which is a feel good and super soulful house track for warmer days. A muffled, muted vocal brings a tinge of melancholy, but the funky bass riffs and disco-fried drums raise you up. It comes with some beefy remixes, not least from the late, great Chicago veteran Paul Johnson whose Jack Nation remix is hard edged and raw. DJ Spinna does his soulful thing on a fine remix and DJ Aphrodite take stings into d&b territory to close.

Review: Detach Recordings is proud to present their third EP, 'In Order To See' by Nekyia. Following releases on re:st, UVB-76 and Voidance Records, the Italian producer further explores his introspective sound, joining the dots between experimental psychedelia, dark ambient and post-drum&bass. Opening with the heavy, drone-driven 'Meta' and 'Leave Your Flesh Behind', the pace soon quickens with 'Breaches', a driving 170bpm collaboration with Books (re:st, Detuned Transmissions). The pressure increases on the B-side with a fierce remix by Sam KDC (Auxiliary, Samurai, Sublunar). The EP closes with 'Form Constants', a 2017 dub unavailable until now.

Review: After a blistering start to life, One Seventy is back with more unashamedly functional, dance floor-destroying tools here on its second release. This one is a collab between DYL and DB1 and all four are Basement Tracks. The first is predatory and slow, poised and menacing with its heavy drums and scraping synths. The second is the sound of a decaying warehouse, with dropping water pipes, big metal hits and distant crashing machines. The third is more suspensory, with a floating drum break and airy pads that zone you out before the brutal closer is a dystopian techno weapon.

Review: Outer Heaven explores a range of tumbling tempos on this exploratory new EP for UVB-76 Music. 'The Observatory' has a grand scale - the drums ping about a wide stereo field, the fizzing synths, groaning vocals and scattered hits all cover a large area with you locked in the midst. 'More Hardcore' is a jungle cut that takes flight on dusty metal drum breaks as vocal apparitions and sci-fi effects dart about above. Closer 'Minority Industrial Complex' is a heavy and industrial dub with great height in the drums and a hint of dystopia never far away.

Review: For whatever reason. Part 3 of this EP series from Bungle on Moscow's Okbron Records dropped before this one, Part 2. Either way the drum & bass veteran has won us over again with two of his signature laidback rollers. They come with nice synth sequences and silky smooth drum breaks that manage to be powerful but comforting, certainly on 'Memory Lane' which also has the hint of nostalgia you would expect. 'Sun Step' is more stripped back, with smeared chords and more frosty textures up top and low, booming bass down low. Both are high-quality cuts.

Review: Planet Mu main man Mike Paradinas has been busy throughout 2022, with this expanded edition of new album 'Hello' also including the entirety of the recently released (and sonically similar) 'Goodbye EP'. As Mu Ziq, Paradinas has always been good at inspirational, boundary blurring brilliance, with his tracks routinely adding gorgeously tuneful lead lines, ear-pleasing chords and jumpy IDM basslines to beats variously inspired by breakbeat hardcore, jungle and darkcore. While the collection is undoubtedly balanced and includes some less manic material geared towards home listening, it's the club-baiting tracks that often hit home hardest. Amongst the many highlights are the disco-sampling 'Green Chaos', the fiendishly sub-heavy 'Modulated Angel', the loved-up and subtly dubbed-out future anthem 'Goodbye VIP' and the three different takes on 'Rave Whistle'.

Review: Alphonse pens a love letter to jungle on this new EP for Klasse Wrecks. It's a flurry of drum breaks and powerful rhythms all served up through a classical lens with hefty bass underpinning each tune. This is a real journey into jungle with epic 12-minute plus opener 'Android Mash' twisting and turning through a flurry of tumbling snares, police sirens and yearning vocals. 'The Eagle' is a more soulful sound but still dense in its arrangement and tense in its rhythms. 'Elevation' closes down with plunging basslines and dark soul atmospheres.

Review: Legendary Belgian record label WeMe has long been a pioneering force in the drum & bass underworld. It is Lord of the D who makes a devastating return here with all consuming sounds towering over you and do as they please with your brain and body. 'Dunstable' is all fizzing synths and hammering drum breaks then 'O Ixed Mpo' absolutely cuts loose with sonics in meltdown, reversed stabs and drum carnage that never resolves. 'DBLE' is another fucked up drum track that will leave you bedraggled and bewildered.

Review: .Anthem incoming! Having generated some powerful hype and attention online through an unofficial stream, Lyra's take on Ojerime's 'Give It Up 2 Me' now finally gets an official release on Leisure Collective. Capturing the universal turbo movement that's taking most genres by storm right now, each version tickles a different spot. The original is a pounding speed bass bumper, L Major brings some jungle magic to the mix while Limoux drops the tempo for a bubbly bass house cut. Finally Jag Limbo takes us all the way to trance town. All corners covered.

Review: With previous sermons on the likes of Black Acre and Hooversound, Prayer now clasps his hands on burgeoning Irish label Spheres. As always his love for the foundations shines through as we're taken on a whirlwind tour through jungle, hardcore and rave. 'Set Me Free' nods towards that 92/93 era of atmospheric hardcore and jungle which the likes of Jack Smooth was behind. 'Breakthrough' goes a bit deeper into the foundations with its slower tempo and four beat energy while 'Reteoric' closes the EP with pure euphoria. Oh Prayer, ye of plenty faith.

Review: Straight off the back of Nicolo's deep, dubby broken beat escapade, Baroque Sunburst strike again with two beguiling breakbeat originals from rising Milan-based Brazilian talent Worli. 'Dynamo' is a purring, rolling tribal breaks piece with strong undertones of techno that you could imagine anyone playing from Villalobos to Meat Katie. 'Breathe - Dance' meanwhile takes a more glacial, up-tempo twist as a foggy, steppy slab of drum & bass that's reminiscent of a Metalheadz B-side or something you'd find on Samurai. Complete with a nutty junglistic remix from Etch and you're packing serious heat. .